In advance of budget, Atleo calls for ‘fundamental transformation’ of government’s relationship with First Nations

OTTAWA — The head of the Assembly of First Nations says he’s hoping Thursday’s federal budget will mark another step toward breaking the longstanding pattern of government policymaking that doesn’t take First Nations’ perspectives into account.

AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo said the government’s “unilateral legislative initiatives” have “consistently failed,” and have left First Nations without adequate say in major policy decisions.

Those sour feelings boiled over last year — and have continued — after the Harper government’s 2012 budget resulted in two omnibus bills that many First Nations opposed, helping spur the indigenous grassroots Idle No More movement and leading to hunger strikes and protests on Parliament Hill.

The government, when confronted on its aboriginal policies by opposition parties in the past months, has countered that it has invested in First Nations by building homes and schools, funding clean water systems, and job training programs, among other things.

Atleo suggested it’s time to move beyond that.

“I would hope to see some signals that break away from a pattern that tries to pull the wool over Canadians’ eyes that says ‘We’ve spent x amount of dollars,’ ” he said in an interview with Postmedia News. “It’s not helpful, and it no longer is acceptable … just the parroting of what we’ve spent and what we’ve invested.”

For years, Atleo said, the AFN and other First Nations groups have submitted pre-budget recommendations and participated the alternative budget, but to little avail in effecting fundamental change.

“The pattern of unilateralism is one that is so incredibly difficult to break,” he said. “I always have hope that somewhere along the line, the pattern is going to be broken.”

“It’s moments like this, when you’ve got these major policy discussions on the economy, that need to be seen as an opportunity to transform the discussion.”

Atleo said First Nations need to see “fairness, respect and opportunity” reflected in the budget, which he says have been “consistently missing over such a long period of time.”

Asked about specific budget wishes, Atleo said he’s looking for bold steps in several broad areas: changing the structure of the fiscal relationship with the federal government so it meets First Nations’ needs, boosting education funding for First Nations, tackling health issues such as water cleanliness on reserves, and building sustainable and balanced First Nation economies.

But the national chief also renewed his call for a “fundamental transformation” in the Canadian government’s relationship with First Nations people—a shift that goes beyond just one budget.

This year, on the heels of the Idle No More movement, there’s heightened awareness of the seemingly intractable issues facing indigenous peoples that must be addressed. Atleo said he welcomes the growing engagement, calling it a “necessary discussion.” But reports on the plight of Aboriginal Peoples are now “stacked a mile high” going back to the 1996 Royal Commission, he said, and now it’s time for action.

Atleo emphasized that First Nations must have a say in planned resource development projects, which the Harper government has said will yield an estimated $650 billion in revenue.

“First Nations are adjacent to every single one of those,” Atleo said. “It would make sense for First Nations and the government to work together in a manner that First Nations’ rights are fully respected and implemented.”

A Jan. 11 meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and First Nations leaders yielded the promise of a follow-up meeting between Harper and Atleo. At the time, the prime minister’s office said it would occur “in the coming weeks.”

But on Monday, Atleo said outcomes of upcoming meetings between First Nations will determine next steps with the prime minister.

“As it is, I am not charged with negotiating agreements with the prime minister. It’s got to be driven by the First Nations themselves. … My role becomes more that of facilitator,” he said. “There was, on the part of the prime minister, that expression of willingness to have that meeting, and First Nations will be asked about how they would like to see that proceed and will take those decisions themselves.”